Southend MP's morals called into question

11:00am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in Echo News

TORY MP David Amess’s expenses have been questioned following the latest revelations about his claims.

The Echo revealed yesterday the Southend West MP was renting out his second home in London while billing taxpayers £1,570 a month to stay elsewhere in the capital.

The revelations come after Mr Amess shared the stage at a “question time” event at the Eastwood school, organised by Southend’s YMCA, for teenagers with Jack Monroe, a 24-year-old single mother and Labour activist.

Ms Monroe is openly candid about her struggles to feed her young son, and has blogged about serving him Weetabix with water and foregoing breakfast herself to survive on as little as £7 a week.

She said: “At the question time, young people said they felt MPs were out of touch and self-interested. For this to come out about Mr Amess soon afterwards says it all.

“It is about the impression which is given out, and that is we are most definitely not ‘all in it together’.”

MP AMESS: I'VE BEEN OPEN AT ALL TIMES ABOUT BY EXPENSES

DAVID Amess has insisted he has been open and transparent about his expenses claims - at all times.

In a statement, the MP said he had discussed his situation with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority once the ban on paying mortgage interest with taxpayers’ money was introduced.

He said: “After careful consideration of the options, and bearing in mind public concerns about the financing of second homes, I decided that I would no longer claim anything for my London property.

“I opted for hotel accommodation, but found it unsatisfactory and expensive in the long-term.

“I then found a flat to rent that is within reasonable distance from the House of Commons.

“At no stage have I endeavoured to conceal these arrangements and no objections have been raised until now.”

Comments(19)

Dids says...
11:07am Wed 24 Oct 12

why does he need a London Property anyway? Southend is within easy travelling distance

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Nebs says...
11:11am Wed 24 Oct 12

The government should purchase a job lot of flats that are available to MP's who live more than a certain distance from Westminster.

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J-Monroe says...
11:11am Wed 24 Oct 12

Petition to review MPs expenses: sign here for change! Need 100,000 signatures, sign and Share: 
http://epetitions.di
rect.gov.uk/petition
s/40723

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alimac69 says...
11:23am Wed 24 Oct 12

David Amess is just the tip of the iceberg. This isn't the first time he's been caught abusing his privileges and should be made financially accountable. Southend is within commutable distance to Westminster, 1000's of us commute every day to London to work and don't have the luxury of an MPs wage. Greedy man!

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Eric Whim says...
11:24am Wed 24 Oct 12

does he actually have any?

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steve077 says...
11:34am Wed 24 Oct 12

Thought it was established a long while ago, that he had no morals. Mind you that is a standard for an MP. Only there for what they can get out for themselves. If we do it, they call us benefit cheats

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SUFC1906 says...
11:35am Wed 24 Oct 12

Renting out his second home while claiming for living elsewhere? So Southend is too far away, yet his own constituents have to do the journey at massive expense daily without the luxury of any reclaim. Most can't afford one home anywhere never mind two. Bet his expenses claims are not being reduced by 14% or 25% for any extra rooms he has like those on Housing Benefit who will be significantly poorer than him either out of work, disabled or in low paid fixed hours part time work. He clearly does'nt get it & its amazing the voters of Southend West don't vote him out or get him deselected.

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HadleighBoy says...
11:45am Wed 24 Oct 12

Nebs wrote:
The government should purchase a job lot of flats that are available to MP's who live more than a certain distance from Westminster.
How about the Olympic Village? Fast Tube to Westminster already built what is the problem. Cannot wait to see how many take up the offer or stop claiming. Will love to see the likes of Ed Balls, Nicolas Soames et al tryign to justify why they cannot be possibly expected ot go!!

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perini says...
11:48am Wed 24 Oct 12

Dids wrote:
why does he need a London Property anyway? Southend is within easy travelling distance
Quite agree - on the odd occasion that there is a late night sitting then 'reasonable' expenses (3/4 star Hotel) could be claimed.

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Eric Whim says...
11:51am Wed 24 Oct 12

perini wrote:
Dids wrote:
why does he need a London Property anyway? Southend is within easy travelling distance
Quite agree - on the odd occasion that there is a late night sitting then 'reasonable' expenses (3/4 star Hotel) could be claimed.
he could crash out on Fatty Cameron's sofa....

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Rochford Rob says...
11:56am Wed 24 Oct 12

I travel between Rochford and Marble Arch each day without problem, save the extortionate fare charged. £4,196.00 which is increased each and every year without fail. This comes out of my earned income which means I've paid tax on that too.

Westminster is populated by 600+ thieves. Plain and simple.

Read order-order.com to see what many of them get up to.

They are utter, utter b@stards the lot of them.

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DogsMessInLeigh says...
12:06pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Does this mean David Amesses expenses are in Amess..?

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leighmum says...
12:55pm Wed 24 Oct 12

For all of you that are, like me, fed up to the back teeth with the current system please don't give up. There are lots of other people out there who feel the same and if we made an effort to work together we could make a difference - please check out this new movement Democracy2015 - http://www.democracy
2015.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/
Democracy2015
http://www.facebook.
com/Democracy2015

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Leighdweller says...
1:09pm Wed 24 Oct 12

perini wrote:
Dids wrote: why does he need a London Property anyway? Southend is within easy travelling distance
Quite agree - on the odd occasion that there is a late night sitting then 'reasonable' expenses (3/4 star Hotel) could be claimed.
If there's a late night sitting, why can't he get a late train?

I work in London and entertain clients frequently (sometimes 2 or 3 times a week at busy times) and the trains run until after midnight, and I have to get up to get the 6.30am train.

Otherwise, I still commute to the City each day. It's doable! I feel tired but it doesn't kill me.

I'm sure David Aimless could cope with an occasional late night train journey, or perhaps he is too precious for that and fears the flack he might get from the struggling constituents he is alleged to represent!

I dislike Mr Aimless and his type with the sense of entitlement he appears to have, however I support his party. Those local party members responsible for candidate selection (I am not one - perhaps more of us should be!) should listen to the electorate and get someone else in to replace him. Deselect him and bring him down to earth with a bump (after he's bumped up his deselection and office closure expenses of course!).

The man's a waste of space!

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Leighdweller says...
1:10pm Wed 24 Oct 12

perini wrote:
Dids wrote: why does he need a London Property anyway? Southend is within easy travelling distance
Quite agree - on the odd occasion that there is a late night sitting then 'reasonable' expenses (3/4 star Hotel) could be claimed.
If there's a late night sitting, why can't he get a late train?

I work in London and entertain clients frequently (sometimes 2 or 3 times a week at busy times) and the trains run until after midnight, and I have to get up to get the 6.30am train.

Otherwise, I still commute to the City each day. It's doable! I feel tired but it doesn't kill me.

I'm sure David Aimless could cope with an occasional late night train journey, or perhaps he is too precious for that and fears the flack he might get from the struggling constituents he is alleged to represent!

I dislike Mr Aimless and his type with the sense of entitlement he appears to have, however I support his party. Those local party members responsible for candidate selection (I am not one - perhaps more of us should be!) should listen to the electorate and get someone else in to replace him. Deselect him and bring him down to earth with a bump (after he's bumped up his deselection and office closure expenses of course!).

The man's a waste of space!

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Brunning999 says...
4:33pm Wed 24 Oct 12

He is a scrawny little weasel.

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pipeman says...
8:15pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Is he hiding in a hair dresses shampoo bottle...?

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newcommuter says...
8:46pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Please support J Monroe's e-petition using the link in his post. The MPs aren't going to raise it themselves, it's akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.

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Eric Whim says...
10:10am Thu 25 Oct 12

pipeman wrote:
Is he hiding in a hair dresses shampoo bottle...?
probably queuing up at the local foodbank, cap in hand

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